Breaking the Ice
by Honey K
Summary: AU, Elizabeth Summers is a professional figure skater. When her partner has an accident before a big compertition, who will step in? Totally Spuffy, (some BuffyRliey but don't worry happy endings all round)
1. Prologue

**Enjoy**

**Prologue**

**There was the usual chill in the air as Elizabeth glided smoothly out onto the ice but she remained oblivious. Elizabeth was a regular visitor to the rink after hours. Her access wasn't limited, after all her Uncle Wes did own the place. It had been his wedding present to his wife, who had unfortunately died when Elizabeth was 12 leaving him heart broken. Elizabeth had always liked Auntie Darla, she was kind, and she had always remembered her birthday. Which was more than she could say of her own parents. Drusilla and Liam O'Donnell were the kind of couple who wanted the best for their daughters; they just had rather selective hearing when it came to Elizabeth's views about it all. It was Auntie Darla who had first taught her to skate when she was small and she'd been driven ever since. At first Dru (she refused to let them call her mum) had been all for the idea, it was a perfectly respectable hobby for a young girl. However, when Elizabeth dropped out of university to go professional, Dru went livid. And, Dad well he was far to busy covering up embezzlements, gambling debts and sordid affairs to worry about Elizabeth or Dawn at all.  
  
Not really surprising that Elizabeth needed to get away from it all. At 21, she was tired. Tired of her sister's constant whining for the latest item she just had to have, tired of the nagging and the yelling, and most of all tired of him. Him of course being Mr Riley Finn. They had been friends since the start of uni and he became her skating partner around a year ago. Elizabeth would have been happy for them to remain as friends but Riley had other ideas. It wasn't that she didn't like him; it was just she didn't love him. But she couldn't turn him down could she? The son a 4-star general of whom Dru approved, and if Dru approved there would be no more skating arguments. And he wasn't that bad looking, really.  
  
Trouble was that once she let him in, he crowded her. A possessive boyfriend was fine, infact it was quite a turn on. Just so long as it didn't end up with her, best friends nose broken like last weekend for complimenting her new shoes. To be honest the sex wasn't that great either. Riley had two modes: 'give me head' or 'let me fuck you into the mattress with no regard for your needs'.   
  
It was getting late, she had better be getting home, only hope Riley wasn't there. Elizabeth just wasn't in the mood to deal with that right now.**

**TBC…**

**More soon, promise**

**Review me please ****J******

**Honey K. xx**


	2. Chapter One

**"Ok, once more!" Elizabeth's coach yelled across the rink to the two figures on the far side. "I want those triple axels perfectly in sync before you go, No no Buffy, your left leg's too low" Elizabeth and Riley returned to positions to start again. Although the competition was 4 months away and their routine was yet to be put together, Giles was insisting on timing practices daily to ensure they moved exactly together. 4 months wasn't a long time and work had to be done.  
  
When practice was done and Giles had dismissed them, Elizabeth and Riley headed for the locker rooms. She decided to have a shower since the session had been hard work.   
"Want me to join you?" Riley asked cocking his head to the side in what seemed to him a seductive manner.   
"It's ok, I'll be really quick" Elizabeth hurried of to the showers. Riley looked slightly disappointed but shrugged, he'd get laid tonight anyway. He followed her and stood outside the cubicle.  
"I'm gonna head off ok?" she shouted her agreement through the curtain. "But I'll pick you up at 8 tonight, yeah?"  
"What?!" Elizabeth stuck her soapy head out.  
"Clean that soap off your face, I can't talk to you when you look so ridiculous" She looked a little taken aback but went back inside. "I'm taking you out to dinner" He said when a rinsed off Elizabeth looked out. Riley looked pleased with himself.   
"But I'm going out with my friends tonight, you said it was ok last week" she had been really looking forward to it. She hadn't seen her friends, properly, for about 2 months.   
"Oh, they won't mind, you see them all the time anyway" she didn't like this.  
"But I mind" she pulled her head back inside the shower.   
"8, then" he called and walked out of the room. She didn't know what to do, if she wasn't at home when he called by he'd be angry and she didn't want to face that.  
  
15 minutes later Elizabeth emerged from the locker rooms to find a grave looking Giles waiting for her.  
"Riley's had an accident," He told her started to walk outside. Elizabeth followed. Riley was lying on the concrete, blood flowing from a large gash on the side of his head, his right leg twisted at a peculiar angle and several deep cuts decorated his arms. His motorbike laid half on top of him. Elizabeth rushed to his side, she may not have been in love with him, but she still cared. Sirens echoed in the distance and they were getting louder. She turned and looked at Giles who was wringing his hands. Elizabeth knew she shouldn't move him so she settled for holding the hand that was outstretched towards her.  
  
The paramedics were soon on the scene and he was rushed to Sunnydale General. Elizabeth and Giles followed in Giles's car.  
  
Upon arrival at the hospital, they were exasperated to find that as they weren't family the staffs weren't allowed to give them any information. It was 4 hours before Mrs Finn brought them up to speed. 4 hours of sitting in that waiting room, with all the horrible hospital smells and the watery coffee the nurses offered.  
"Riley, I'm afraid......Oh, I'm sorry" she started to cry, "He's still in theatre, they won't know anything until they're finished." Giles patted her shoulder comfortingly. "I don't understand why he wasn't wearing his helmet" Elizabeth bit her tongue and looked at Giles. Riley had often said that he looked like a wimp if he wore his helmet. But Mrs Finn didn't need that right now. "Why don't you two head home" she struggled to smile "I'll call you as soon as we know anything"  
  
20 minutes later in the car they pulled out onto the open highway. Giles finally broke the silence.   
"His leg was broken you know"  
"MmmHmm" She replied quietly.  
"Buffy," Only her friends called her that. "He'll be ok" She didn't reply. "But he won't be fit in time for the championship"  
"Someone new?" Elizabeth's voice was strange and it was obvious to Giles that she was upset. "I thought we'd just wait till next year"  
"If we can get someone else we will" he stated "You're in top form, you could do really well this year, it's like you were chosen, you have this talent, you could be the star of your generation." Buffy was used to Giles impromptu pep talks by now.   
"Ok" she attempted a smile.  
"I'll start making calls as soon as I get home" Truth be told, Giles thought that talking about skating would take Buffy's mind off the accident, and his. "We're here"  
  
Elizabeth didn't go out that night, she thought she should stay home and wait for the call. Her flatmate, Willow offered to stay with her and so they snuggled up on the sofa and watched the TV. Mrs Finn didn't ring until 10pm. The good news was that Riley was stable; the bad news was that he was unconscious and wasn't showing signs of waking up. However, the doctors weren't worried and said that he'd wake up in a few days or so and be fine, bar the leg with 5 fractures. After she'd relayed the news to Willow, she said goodnight and headed for bed. Mrs Finn had said she was welcome to visit as soon as he woke up.   
  
The next day was Saturday, meaning no training sessions. Later on nearer the event, they would be practicing everyday bet for now she could sleep in. When she finally rose, it was around midday and she found the flat was empty. Willow had left a note on the counter telling her she was spending the day at her girlfriend, Tara's house, but if Buffy needed anything, she could call her there. Sitting at the breakfast bar Elizabeth decided to call her friend Faith, she needed someone to talk to and Faith would listen. She was an old uni friend who had become a corporate lawyer in town. She picked up the phone and dialled.   
"Hey, it's Buffy, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a coffee in the park","'Bout an hour","By the square", "Ok, see you there"  
"I heard, B" was the first thing Faith said "Although I think he had it coming" She had never liked Riley even back at UCSunnydale when he used to butt into their conversations with quips that at the time Elizabeth had found cute. Faith hugged her.   
"Faith!"   
"What? He did. He treats you like shit, your only allowed to be here now because he's lying in hospital unable to tell you not to." she knew she was right, but what could she do about it, without him she was nothing. Then she noticed them and dropped her coffee causing the hot liquid to spray a half metre radius around them. "B, What's wrong?" Elizabeth pointed with a slightly shaking hand across the square. Her father was sitting on a bench on the other side of the cleared area with none other than Harmony Kendle sitting on his lap, and they were kissing. She couldn't look. She had known he was having an affair, but with Dawn's best friend. It just wasn't right, she was barely 18. Just then, he looked up and a flash of panic crossed his face and he stood up, causing Harmony to fall over and end up sprawled on the floor. Faith smirked. Liam walked over.  
"Lizzie...I..."  
"I don't want to hear it, Dad, and don't call me that" she spun and walked away. Faith followed.  
"Lizzie!" Liam called after her, she turned.  
"Don't worry I won't say anything" and she wouldn't, what would be the point? Dru only stayed with him for the money. Sometimes she wished she could just get away from it all. The competition would have taken her away from home for a couple of weeks (2 weeks with Riley mind, but 2 weeks none the less) But that looked doubtful now, didn't it?  
"Hey B you ok?"   
"Yeah, I'll be fine" The pair separated at the edge of the park and Buffy headed towards the Mall. Some retail therapy was just what she needed right now.  
  
TBC...**


End file.
